Fifteen Years Prior
by ElectraCute
Summary: What was life like before Benjamin Barker was taken from his home in Fleet Street? A collection of shorter or longer ficlets, not necessarily consistent, following the lives of the tenants of 186 Fleet Street fifteen years prior.
1. A Visit For Tea

The Barkers had invited them over for tea. On Friday, Albert said. Nellie Lovett tried to conceal her excitement. After having been his landlady for two years, she would finally get to know Benjamin Barker better. She rarely saw him more than once a month, when he visited them briefly to pay the monthly rent. But that was more than enough for Mrs. Lovett.

Albert had announced to her that he had found a couple to whom he would rent out the room they had over their shop. But it wasn't until the first day they moved in that she saw him.

She had had such a quiet life with her husband, her good Albert. Did she love him? No, not really. Their marriage was simply the result of successful matchmaking. She was twenty-four when she married him, and he was fourty-six. He felt like more of a father to her than a husband.

He was a kind, peaceable man, and he was able to provide her with an adequate quality of life. They weren't wealthy, but they weren't poor either. Their meat pie shop was doing quite well. Albert had taught her all the secrets to processing the meat, and she was a good student. She would help him prepare the minced beef or pork and then she would knead the dough and turn it into pies with admirable skill.

Her life wasn't particularly fascinating. Oh, how she had wished for a child! That would have made her monotonous existence a tad brighter. At twenty-six, she got pregnant. Her joy was beyond words. She spent her days knitting woolen baby clothes and dreaming of her little boy or girl. But her happiness didn't last. One day, as she was going up the stairs from the oven, carrying a pile of meat pies, she slipped. Her head hit the wall and she rolled down the stairs, landing forcefully on the floor. A while later, Albert found her, unconscious, lying in a pool of blood.

Nellie Lovett lost her baby and, along with it, her will for life. For about a year, she would spend her days doing nothing but mourning. She gave up on everything; the house, the shop, even her husband. Albert was patient and understanding and he never pushed her. He would go along with all of her whims and he would try to make her smile, for he so loved that smile of hers. Because he loved her, with a kind, noble love, just like his nature.

It was on one of those dark days that Benjamin Barker invaded her gloomy world and turned it upside down. He and his wife were moving into the apartment over the shop - she had known that for a while. But she was never interested in learning more - that was all Albert's business and she didn't feel like meddling with it.

However, that morning, she happened to glance at the window. And then she saw him. A tall, muscular young man carrying a heavy armchair. His raven hair, neatly combed, created a stark contrast against his light colored skin. His eyes were pitch black, like the deepest abyss. She traced his structured jawline with her gaze and observed his beautiful cheekbones.

At that moment, he noticed her face behind the window. He smiled at her momentarily - or so she thought - before he returned to his work. And Mrs. Lovett felt her heart beating faster. She was alive again.

It didn't take her long to regain herself. She turned back into the storm that she had once been. Albert was happy to see her sudden change, and he was naïve enough to not question it. She now lived for the brief moments that she would get to be in the same room with him. She dreamed of him day and night. She went to bed next to her husband and fantasized she would wake up next to Benjamin. For months now, she couldn't take him off her mind. She breathed only for him, and he was the only thing that added some meaning to her otherwise miserable life.

But, of course, there was Lucy. Perhaps she didn't care to admit it, but Mrs. Lovett knew that Benjamin loved his wife truly and deeply. "Lucy and I…" he would say, and his eyes, those beautiful black eyes, would light up at the uttering of her name. Oh, if only Nellie Lovett could be a bit like Lucy Barker! But no, she didn't have her tall, slim figure. She didn't have her lustrous gold locks. She didn't have her emerald eyes. Mrs. Lovett knew very well that she would never be Lucy - and it hurt.

It wasn't very long ago that Benjamin had come downstairs to ask her for help.

"Good day, Mrs. Lovett" he said reluctantly.

She thought it was rather unsuitable that he would call her that. Perhaps he could call her Nellie. She was younger than him after all, a couple of years at least - she at twenty-seven and he in his early thirties. But she let the thought go and smiled politely, trying to conceal the acceleration of her heartbeat.

"How can I help you, Mr. Barker?"

"I was wondering if you could do me a favour" he said. He explained to her that he had a couple of towels that needed to be washed, and his wife couldn't do it because she wasn't feeling well. He would do it himself, he said, but he was expecting some customers any moment now, and he needed them right away. Could she do the washing for him instead?

Benjamin Barker was a barber - and a very talented one. He had many regular customers who preferred him for his swift, skillful, smooth shaves. Mrs. Lovett didn't give it a second thought.

"Bring your towels, Mr. Barker. I'll wash them for you" she offered as she looked at him with admiration.

He smiled widely and shook her hand.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lovett! I'll make sure to return the favour!" he promised.

His touch was warm and pleasant and she smiled back at him. He went up the stairs quickly and he soon returned with three white towels. He gently lay them in her arms and granted her another precious smile.

Apparently, he didn't forget his promise, because a few days later he invited Mr. and Mrs. Lovett to his apartment for tea. Somehow, she expected it. She chose the best one of her few formal dresses - a beautiful one, dark green, with black ribbons decorating it and an elegant black lace embroidered across the bodice.

The day had come. Nellie Lovett put on her dress and admired herself in the mirror. She then removed the pins from her head and let her hair fall to its full length. It was a mane, really - rusty red and very curly. She thought about what she should do with it. Oh, why couldn't she have soft, straight, blond hair like Lucy? She combed it thoroughly and then grabbed a black ribbon, similar to the ones sewed on her dress. She brought her ginger mane up and held it together on top of her head. Masterfully, she wrapped the ribbon around it and tied it into a bow. It gave her a bit of a royal touch, she thought. Too bad that she didn't have any jewellery to go with it.

As she was going up the stairs, she barely noticed the presence of her husband, who was limping right beside her. As they pushed the door of the barber shop, the little bell on top rang, informing Mr. Barker that his visitors had arrived.

He greeted them warmly and led them to the table. A steaming pot of tea was waiting for them, along with four sets of cups, plates and teaspoons. A platter with biscuits and a small bowl with sugar cubes were placed next to the pot. Nellie Lovett smiled at the thought of sitting by him, sipping hot tea and talking.

It was then that his wife appeared. And Mrs. Lovett could now clearly see the reason why Lucy Barker hadn't been feeling well those few days ago. Judging from the distinct bump under her pastel pink dress, she was about four or five months pregnant. A wave of rage drowned Mrs. Lovett as she remembered her own unborn baby, lost so unfairly only about a year prior. She ground her teeth as she coldly shook Lucy's hand.

Moments later, they were all sitting around the table. Albert was making eager attempts to light up the conversation. When the topic of Lucy's pregnancy came up, Nellie Lovett decided to change it.

"Let me serve you" she offered. She took the heavy pot in her hands and held it carefully.

But they kept talking, about when Lucy was due, about knitting baby clothes, about children… And he was so happy, his eyes never leaving his wife, his pretty little thing… He looked at her like she was the most precious treasure in the world. Mrs. Lovett bit her lip until it bled. She was watching him with adoration, but also with desperation - for she knew he would never look at her that way.

Suddenly, she saw him grimacing. A scream woke her from her daydreaming. It took her a moment to realize what was happening; she had absent-mindedly been pouring tea in his cup for much longer than necessary. The steaming hot liquid overflowed and then quickly made its way to Benjamin Barker's lap. Unexpectedly burnt, he jumped up and let out a muffled scream.

She left the teapot on the table and looked at him with horror in her eyes.

"Mr. Barker, I'm so sorry sir" she managed to utter.

He forced himself to smile.

"It's alright" he said. "Don't worry about it."

But Nellie Lovett wasn't listening. She hid her face in her hands and then ran out of the door and back to her house. Tears were streaming down her face. Oh God, why couldn't she do anything right?

Benjamin smiled awkwardly as Lucy was trying to clean him up from the spilled tea. Albert promised to go downstairs to calm his wife and bring her back.

When he arrived, he found her locked in the bathroom. She had made that a habit after her miscarriage, locking herself in there, pretending to hide away from the world.

"Open the door, my girl" he whispered as he tapped on it.

He heard her sobbing quietly. It was getting harder and harder for him to understand her; he couldn't tell when she was happy, when she was sad or why her mood shifted so unpredictably.

He heard the key in the lock and realized she had unlocked the door. He swung it open and found her lying curled up in the empty bathtub.

"Oh Nellie" he whispered as he approached her. He slipped his arms underneath her and lifted her in the air, despite the chronic pain stinging in his leg. He kissed her softly on the forehead, in a tender, fatherly way and carried her to the bedroom.

"Tis alright, darling, it don't matter. Mr. Barker ain't mad. Don't worry" he tried to comfort her.

She turned to the side, away from him.

"Alright then. I'll go upstairs and tell 'em we'll go for tea some other time" he proclaimed.

She nodded.

"Nellie… Is it her? Lucy Barker?" he whispered.

"What?"

He lay his hand on her stomach and fondled it gently.

"Lucy is with child. Is that why you're like this?"

She didn't reply.

"We'll try again love, alright?"

She buried her face in the pillow.

"I'll go upstairs now" he said as he planted another kiss on her head and he left the room quietly.

"Oh Albert" she whispered after he closed the door behind him, "You're too good to me."


	2. It's A Girl

He wanted to stay with her, but the midwife had made herself clear; she wouldn't allow anyone else in the labour room. Her screams were piercing his ears. He knew it was all normal, yet he couldn't stand to hear her suffer. He sat down in his barber's chair and buried his face in his hands. He was sweating, his legs were trembling. Excitement and fear were fighting in his head. He was going to be a father.

He remembered when they had first met. Young Benjaming had started to work as an assistant to Wallace Carrington, one of the best barbers in London. His skill was well known in the surrounding neighbourhoods and the customers would queue outside the door every day. Benjamin considered it a privilege to be his apprentice. He was willing to work hard and learn the secrets of the trade.

Mr. Carrington was a wealthy man. Thanks to his many years of successful work, he had managed to build a considerable fortune. Everyone in the area knew what a recherche bride his daughter was, and what great dowry would come with her. But he hadn't yet chosen a husband for her, because he hadn't found a man worthy of her, a man of her own status.

Wallace Carrington's daughter was a girl of extraordinary beauty. Delicate and graceful, with her slim silhouette, always wearing elegant, pastel-coloured silk dresses. Her eyes had a wonderful emerald shine, her lips looked like rose petals. Her long wavy gold locks fell down her back like a waterfall, reaching her thin waist.

One day, Mr. Carrington was locking the door of his barber shop when he suddenly remembered something.

"Ben, my boy" he said as Benjamin was preparing to leave.

"Yes sir."

"There's a package waiting for me in the post office but I won't have time to go and get it. Can you fetch it for me and take it to my house?"

"Of course sir" he responded eagerly.

A little later, he found himself outside Mr. Carrington's house, holding a heavy package in his arms and hesitantly knocking on the door. The sight of the lady that appeared in front of him took his breath away. He stayed there, staring at her, unable to utter a single word.

She graced him with a beautiful smile.

"Can I help you?"

He awoke from his daydreaming.

"I 'ave brought this package for Mr. Carrington" he muttered.

"Bring it in" she said.

She watched him as he carried the heavy object inside. She had never seen such a handsome young man before. She suddenly felt an unexplainable desire to touch him, to trace his cheekbones with her fingers, to feel his toned muscles, to fondle his raven hair.

He carefully placed the package on the floor.

"Is that alright, ma'am?" he asked.

"Oh, of course. You must be my father's apprentice."

"Yes ma'am."

"What's your name?"

"Benjamin Barker."

"I've just prepared tea, Benjamin. Would you like some?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.

"Then please, come in. My father will be late tonight" she assured him.

It didn't take long for him to fall in love with Lucy Carrington. And he knew she returned his feelings. She began to visit her father in his shop quite often, which came as quite a surprise to him. She was afraid he would get suspicious, but she was still willing to risk it.

They would often meet in her house, when her father was absent, or in his own apartment, whenever she managed to sneak out. Benjamin lived alone in a tiny room, in one of the working class neighbourhoods. He didn't have any family. His father had left when he was still a child and his mother had died from tuberculosis a few years prior.

There came a time when Lucy and Benjamin couldn't keep their love a secret anymore. One day, he decided to present himself to her father and ask for her hand. Wallace Carrington welcomed him in the house; he could never imagine what would follow. When Benjamin uttered the proposal, the old man's eyes opened widely. Torn between shock and anger, he stayed still for a few moments, trying to regain control of the situation.

"Lucy!" he yelled.

The girl came down the stairs reluctantly.

"Is it true, Lucy? Have you and Mr. Barker decided to marry?"

Lucy looked at Benjamin. He smiled and nodded.

"Answer me!" her father shouted.

She built up her courage and took a deep breath.

"Yes, father. I love Benjamin and I want to marry him."

His face turned red.

"My daughter is marrying someone of her own class, Ben! I will not allow this!"

"But sir…"

"Get out of my house, Barker!"

"Mr. Carrington, please…"

"Out!"

She would never have her father's blessing; now she knew. But she would marry Benjamin either way. The two of them decided to elope, and they managed to do so successfully. They ran away together, got married secretly in a remote chapel and stayed in several inns, until they rented out the apartment in Fleet Street, where they were living now.

Benjamin was grateful for the turn of events. His barber shop was thriving and he could provide for her almost as well as her father. They had made it. And when Lucy became pregnant, how joyous he was! Their happiness would be complete.

The screams from the bedroom had now stopped. Instead, he could hear a baby's cries. Tears of joy streamed down his eyes. The midwife opened the door and called him.

"Congratulations sir" she said as she handed him the baby, wrapped in a white blanket. "It's a girl."


	3. This Ain't Proper

She washed her hands in the sink and dried them on a towel. The last pie was in the oven at last. It wasn't yet time to close the shop but she was exhausted.

"Albert," she said, "I'll go take a bath. Keep an eye here, will you? I don't think anyone will show up this late but…"

"Alright my girl" he said eagerly.

She filled the bathtub and soaked herself in warm water, washing away the long and tiresome day. She loved a nice bath; it was one of the few genuine pleasures she allowed herself to enjoy.

When she got out, she wrapped herself in her bathrobe and walked to the bedroom. There, she found her husband sitting on the bed. He stood up and approached her.

"I promised you we'd try again" he said. "I've counted the days. 'Tis a good time now, ain't it?"

She had been avoiding him for a long time. It had been months since they had last used their bed for something other than sleeping. She felt like she owed it to him. She couldn't keep refusing.

She stood in front of the mirror and let him untie her robe. She watched as his fingers were trailing her body, touching her again in places that had remained untouched for months. He kissed her neck and removed the pins from her hair, letting the curly red mane fall on her back.

"You go and lie down" he said.

She obliged. He unbuttoned his shirt and then his trousers. He took them off and neatly placed them on a chair, before he moved towards the bed and climbed on it.

He leaned over her, hardly balancing his weight above her. She noticed how he was struggling in that position.

"You can lie on your back if'n you want" she said. He fell heavily on the side with a sigh and lay supinely. It was always a little awkward between them.

She climbed on top and slowly lowered herself unto him as she got a full view of his flabby body. She could tell he was aroused, but she certainly wasn't.

"Maybe if I close my eyes and pretend it's Benjamin…" she made a guilty thought.

She kept her eyelids shut and moved in time with him as he was jerkily thrusting against her. Carried away by her fantasy, she didn't hear his suddenly shallow breathing. She didn't notice his chest moving desperately up and down as he was gasping for air. All of a sudden, she felt him motionless. She stopped, opened her eyes and looked at him in shock. Albert was lying underneath her, unconscious, barely breathing at all.

She pulled away and grabbed her head in panic. Oh God, had she killed him?

"Albert! Albert!" she yelled, holding him from the shoulders and shaking him.

He didn't respond.

She ran to the kitchen frantically and grabbed a glass. Before she got to the sink, she accidentally dropped it. It crushed on the floor and was shattered under her bare feet. She ran carelessly through the broken glass, cutting herself a little. She quickly grabbed another glass and filled it with water, when she realized she wasn't alone. Albert had forgotten to close down the pie shop and lock it, and now someone was standing in the entrance, watching her. It was Benjamin Barker.

Her heart stopped. And it was painful, because of how fast it had been beating.

She quickly grabbed a tablecloth from the counter, clumsily trying to cover her naked body. The fabric barely concealed anything.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Lovett" he muttered.

And yet, he kept staring.

"I came for the monthly rent" he said.

"Oh, of course. Yes."

"It ain't no good time?"

"Well…"

"I'll just go. I'll come again tomorrow."

"No! No, don't go Mr. Barker! Somethin' 'appened to me poor Albert, please 'elp me!"

She quickly dressed Albert with only his trousers before she let Benjamin Barker in the room. She then grabbed a light nightdress and put it on.

"Come in" she said, and he walked inside the bedroom hesitantly.

"What happened?" he asked, although the sight was rather self explanatory.

She took a deep breath in. Underneath her dress, she was stark naked, standing next to the man she desired more than anything. It was so inappropriate, and yet she couldn't smother the overwhelming sensation that took over her body. She was lusting for another man while her husband was probably dying. Was she a terrible woman? A monster?

"We were… getting... intimate" she said, her cheeks rosy from embarrassment. "And suddenly he blacked out! I don't know what to do!" she shouted as she burst into tears.

Benjamin remained calm. He leaned over Albert, held the man's nose with his right hand and opened his mouth with his left. He came very close, locked his lips against him and blew in. Albert's stomach rised and then fell again. He blew again, one, two, three times. He kept going, until Albert's eyes eventually flicked open.

When her husband was finally breathing normally again, Mrs. Lovett took Benjamin back to the shop. Her eyes were still damp.

"Thank you Mr. Barker! You saved him!" she said.

And then, in a moment of foolish bravery, she hugged him.

He felt her lightly dressed body against his. Her arms around his neck, her breasts pushing on his chest, her thighs rubbing against his trousers, and, God, her crotch against his own.

He was involuntarily aroused. She only realized what was happening when she felt him tense up against her. Shocked by her own behaviour, she quickly pulled away.

"Mr. Barker, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to… I was just so relieved. This ain't proper, oh God, I'm sorry!"

He didn't know what to say. He felt dirty. He hurriedly murmured "goodnight" and ran upstairs.

When he lay next to Lucy that night, his qualms were gnawing at him. He had taken a bath, trying to wash that woman off of him.

"I'm sure she meant well…" he whispered to himself, highly doubting his own thought.

Was that her? Yes, it was. Was that him? No, it wasn't.

And yet, he'd kept on staring.

But he hadn't wanted to, right? It had been a long day, and he was tired. He tried to convince himself it didn't mean anything. It was just a moment. One peculiar, passing moment. It would never happen again. His heart and his body belonged to Lucy.

Right underneath his bedroom, Nellie Lovett was taking care of her husband. Her hands were still trembling. She had touched him, she had pushed her body on his, half dressed. She was a horrible woman. The man was married, he had a baby, and she was married too. But she loved him; she could never lie to herself. That night, she had imagined him instead of Albert, entering her body with every thrust. She had pictured his muscular figure underneath her, giving her the pleasure she craved. She needed him like she needed air. But she couldn't have him, and it left her breathless.

When Albert was finally asleep, she ran to the bathroom and cried until the sun came up.


	4. Apples

He was walking down the street on an unusually sunny winter morning. Rarely did they ever see such days in London. He felt the warmth on his face. Delighted, he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, willingly allowing the gold rays pouring from the sky to shine on his skin.

All of a sudden, he saw an apple rolling on the ground next to him. Intrigued, he turned around to locate where it came from. Apparently, a woman had dropped her basket full of apples on the street. A carriage passed by and some of the fruits were smashed under its wheels, while others rolled away on the dusty road.

She tried to collect them but to no avail. She was also holding a baby in her arms, which made the task even more complex. He came closer to her and observed her - in her fury, she didn't notice him. She was a beautiful woman. His eyes wandered on her golden locks, her green eyes, her soft, full lips, her lovely figure… He felt his heart beating a little faster.

Enchanted by her beauty, he kneeled and collected some of the apples for her. Before she could say a word, he nobly took the wicker basket from her arms and carefully filled it with what was left of its original content. She graced him with a precious smile. He smiled back, a golden tooth shining momentarily behind his grin.

"Here you are" he said with a smirk as he handed her the basket, "but be careful with your apples. There won't always be a polite judge out there to help you."

"Oh, thank you so much… Mister…"

"Judge Turpin. At your service."

She blushed and smiled awkwardly.

They chatted briefly, standing on the side of the road.

"And who might this young lady be?" he asked with faux enthusiasm, glancing at the baby. Dressed up in her pink silk dress and her bonnet, the little girl looked at him solemnly with her big emerald eyes.

"This is Johanna" Lucy introduced her daughter.

"She's beautiful, Mrs. Barker. Just like her mother" he complimented her.

His calm, typically polite expression could not betray the fire inside him. He was undressing her with his eyes, smothering his burning desire to touch her, to feel her bare flesh under his fingers. It was like some sort of witchcraft, he thought - he simply couldn't take his eyes off her.

It wasn't ever too difficult for him to ensure a woman's company. Power is a great tool for seduction, and he knew just how to use it effectively. Ladies were more often than not charmed by his masculine figure and his deep, rich voice, but it was his power that lured them into his arms. He was a judge. In his hands, he held life and death. He could send a man to his salvation or to his damnation. And, most of the time, he preferred the second option. He had a reputation for it. But the woman's soul is an abyss, and hardly was Judge Turpin's bed ever empty of pretty women who wanted to get their own taste of that merciless servant of the law.

Sebastian Turpin was a man who got what he wanted, when he wanted it. And, at that moment, he decided he wanted Lucy Barker. He wouldn't stop until he got her. She had now revealed to him that she was married and living in Fleet Street with her husband and their baby. Of course there was a husband. It happened often, but it was never much of a problem. With the help of Michael Bamford, his loyal and devoted beadle, he usually managed to overcome that slight inconvenience.

"Husbands come and go" he thought. "One day he's here, the next day he's gone."

As Lucy was now walking further away on the way to her house, he lustfully observed her silhouette. His eyes glared, much like the eyes of a predator ready to hunt down its prey.

"I will have you" he muttered to himself.


End file.
